1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to screen editing devices, screen editing methods, and computer program products for making computers function as the screen editing device.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a screen editing device configured to edit the contents of operations screens to be displayed on a display, a screen editing method for editing the contents of operations screens to be displayed on the display, and a computer program product for making a computer function as the screen editing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an example where a GUI (Graphical User Interface) screen is displayed on a display and various data or receipt of operations are displayed in the GUI is known.
In addition, the GUI can be designed by arranging various components, such as a button for receiving the operations of a user or a character display frame for displaying contents that are set on the screen. Furthermore, in recent years, there are great demands for customization where the GUI provided by a maker is not used as it is and the user edits the contents of the screen so as to form the GUI consistent with a use of the user.
For example, inventions described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2005-45370, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-150971, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-5825 include techniques with respect to customization of the GUI.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2005-45370 describes an image forming apparatus where display/non-display, position, size, or the like of a functional key in a display screen displayed in a liquid crystal display can be changed by selecting a panel customizing mode.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-150971 describes a technique where access is made from a user terminal to a server so that an operations screen of an electronic device can be edited. In addition, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-150971 describes, as examples of editing, position change, synthesis, cutting, scaling of operations buttons, or deletion of functions of the operations buttons.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-5825 describes industrial equipment whereby modification is made to an HTML file where a screen layout is set so that the GUI can be customized.
In the meantime, in a case where a maker of devices provides a customization function of the GUI, the needs of the user are assumed in advance so that a GUI consistent with the needs can be designed and provided as a template. However, if the needs of the user are not consistent with the template, it is necessary for the user to perform operations for changing the contents of the GUI, such as moving the position of the button or switching display/non-display. Because of this, in a case where the device includes various items and a large number of the GUI screens based on the items, a heavy workload may be imposed on the user to edit the screen to have desirable contents.
For example, in a case where the user wishes to prevent a single surface printing to avoid the waste of paper resources in a digital MFP (multi-functional processing) machine having functions as a copier, a printer or facsimile machine, this wish can be accomplished by customization of the GUI so as not to display buttons regarding the single surface printing. However, the buttons regarding the single printings are provided at several tens or several hundreds screens of the GUI. Accordingly, it takes a great deal of time to find all the buttons and set the buttons as non-display. Furthermore, it is difficult to set all the buttons regarding the single printing as non-display.